This review is not about the Blu Ray, which is outstanding in both the picture & sound. Instead, the review is about the packaging of the 2 bonus DVD's. Disney decided to go with a double case instead of a triple case. This resulted in the 2 bonus DVD's being stacked on one spindled on-top of each other, resulting in the top DVD being scratched. Surely Disney could have spent a few more cents & gone with the proper case to accommodate the 2 bonus DVD's & the 1 Blu Ray. A little disappointing for a company that always stood for quality.
The Rescuers' biggest casualty is the loss of a 15-page Scrapbook holding concept art, character designs, behind-the-scenes production photos, and publicity artwork. Also dropped, and of lesser interest, is "Under the Hat Villains", a 90-second Toon Disney short celebrating the studio's animated villains (including Medusa) with clips and some animator comments. The last omission from the original movie's DVD is "The Ultimate Case" set-top game, which let you sleuth around rooms to find Penny's missing teddy bear (with the Devil's Eye Diamond inside) à la Bernard and Bianca with clues from "Orville."
Lost from The Rescuers Down Under's original Gold Classic Collection DVD are its original theatrical trailer, a virtual DVD storybook, and a 16-question trivia game. And expectedly not resurfacing from inside its case are an Animals of the Outback booklet and chapter insert.
You may want to hold on to your original DVDs and sell off the bare bones DVDs included here.The Rescuers was the last feature produced by Walt's legendary team of animators (the nine old men) and is easily their best since Walt's death in 1966. Released in 1977, The Rescuers is a delightful and heartfelt story full of adventure, poignancy and great characters. Both Bernard and Miss Bianca are wonderful creations that compliment each other. Madame Medusa may seem like Cruella De Vil but is not at all forgettable. The voice cast is spot on with Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Geraldine Page and the rest giving memorable performances and bringing unforgettable characters to life. The story of these two mice rescuing a little girl keeps you invested the whole time and you care for them very much. The Rescuers may seem a like a little obscure film but the truth is that is a Disney classic through and through.
Released 13 years later in 1990, The Rescuers Down Under was Disney's first official sequel produced by the main studio (not to be confused with a cheapquel). With high production values and using the CAPS system for the first time, Down Under is a breathtaking adventure. Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor reprised their roles as Bernard and Miss Bianca as they now are headed to Australia to rescue a little boy from an evil poacher. While I like the first film more, the sequel stills has a lot going for it. Again the voice cast is wonderful, the updated animation looks amazing and the flight scenes are absolutely mesmerizing.
Both The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under offer high quality entertainment and they're sure to delight the entire family.
Video & Audio
First, I have to say that The Rescuers DVD was one of the worst DVDs I'd ever owned. That being said, this BD is a very solid upgrade. The picture is clean for the most time although some tiny specs appear from time to time. Detail and clarity are strong and artifacting is nowhere to be found. A nice job done by Disney.
The Rescuers Down Under looks brighter and more striking than its predecessor. Detail and clarity are spot on and colors are bright and bold. It's not a CAPS transfer and some light grain permeates the picture but it gives it a nice filmic quality. A nice transfer all around.
Both films have 5.1 DTS-HD MA and while both get the job done, Down Under has a better use for it than the first film (due of course to inherent limitations). All in all, both are adequate mixes.
Bonus Material
This is the most disappointing part of the set. Being its 35 anniversary and being such a great film, I expected more and more substantial bonus material for The Rescuers. Anyway, this is what was included:
"Peoplitis" is a recently found deleted song from The Rescuers. Introduced by director Ron Clements, the song is nothing extraordinary and it is better that it was cut off.
"Water Birds" is an episode from Walt Disney's famous True-Life Advetures
"Three Blind Mouseketeers" is a silly simphony featuring mice.
"Disney Song Selection"
"The Making of The Rescuers Down Under" is a promotional piece that came around the same time the film was released. It's a very short piece but at least is something.
A DVD copy is included for each film.
Final Thoughts
The Rescuers is an absolute Disney classic. The Rescuers Down Under, while not as good as the first is still highly entertaining. Both films offer nice transfers, good sound and a slim amount bonus material. Anyway, buy this set and you won't be disappointed!!For those of you interested in the technical reality of this new Blu-ray release... Rest assured, this collection belongs on your movie shelf! I have always thought The Rescuers looked horribly bad on home video, from the VHS tapes to the DVD's, so I was very intrigued to see what this Blu-ray release would turn out. I was absolutely blown away by the level of quality showcased here! Crisp, clear, and beautifully rendered... The opening charcoal paintings in the credits have a real vibrancy to them, almost as if the viewer is looking at the original drawings. Bernard, Bianca, Penny, and the rest of these timeless characters literally jump off the screen, and I have no qualms saying that they have NEVER looked more alive than they do here on this release. I bought this title solely for this movie and I consider my money well spent. On to The Rescuers Down Under! Initially, I was more underwhelmed with this transfer than the original Rescuers. The overall picture looked bland and some scenes are not nearly as crisp as I saw in The Rescuers or other Disney Blu-ray releases. However, after viewing standard def 90s 'documentary' (featured as an extra on this release) on the making of this sequel, I realize what a stark upgrade the high definition transfer gives us! Yes, the palette is mostly in the realm of neutral colors with vibrant hues being a rare occurrence, but I doubt the video quality will ever look better than it does here without a complete overhaul of the original source elements. The worst the film looks is in the first five to ten minutes. Once Bernard and Bianca are on their journey to Australia, the quality most certainly improves. If I were to give out ratings based solely on the visual appearance, The Rescuers gets 5/5 stars and its sequel, 3.5/5 stars. However, fans of either or both movies will not walk away unimpressed! Buy this today because it deserves its home in your Disney Blu-ray collection!My kids, who are 3 and 6, like to watch a bunch of goofy movies that I find to be pretty boring. But when I showed them The Rescuers they loved it and I enjoyed watching it too. Lots of action, drama, and humor. A great story line and positive family friendly fun. When we have a chance to watch a movie, I always encourage them to choose The Rescuers! The Rescuers Down Under is okay, but we love the original movie best.
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